Morecambe search for new goalkeeper ahead of Carlisle

Adam Lord

Tom Stewart made Football League debut against Shrewsbury after Andreas Arestidou’s sending off

Bentley also continues to look at other loan options

Morecambe boss Jim Bentley is working to bring in a goalkeeper ahead of the trip to Carlisle on Saturday.

With Andreas Arestidou suspended The Shrimps look set to use their sixth stopper of the season when they make to trip to Cumbria.

Bentley however says it’s not cut and dry that a new face will come in leaving goalkeeping coach Lee Jones and teenager Tom Stewart, who came on for his Football League debut after Arestidou’s red card against Shrewsbury, as his options.

The Shrimps boss also continues to work on signing an elusive fresh face, with attacking midfielders having been targeted in recent weeks.

He said: “We’d like to (bring a goalkeeper in) but we’ll work on it and see what happens in the next 24 or 48 hours.

“It’s a difficult one. No-one’s going to let you have their number one.

We’d like to bring a goalkeeper in but we’ll work on it and see what happens in the next 24 or 48 hours

“Some don’t want to send out their number twos and some times the number threes might not be good enough.

“I had a busy day yesterday, not just with the goalkeeper situation, in the outfield as well.

“We need an injection. We’ve looked a bit stale in the last couple.”

The goalkeeper situation has been a thorn in Bentley’s side this season with Barry Roche, Scott Davies, Queens Park Rangers loanne Joe Lumley, Arestidou and Stewart all having featured between the sticks.

He said: “We’ve been unlucky all season.

“Big Baz got injured and then we couldn’t resign Scott Davies.

“There was the FA Cup scenario where both our number ones were unavailable so we’ve had a bit of bad luck.

“We’re not the only ones, our friends Accrington down the road have also used about eight keepers this year.

“We’re exploring all avenues at the moment and maybe something will happen today and tomorrow.”